Does Solar Work Here

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The Short Answer – YES!

Solar works very well here in the Northwest. Even taking into account our cloudy weather throughout much of the year, solar is our most abundant renewable energy resource. In fact, the Portland/Vancouver area receives as much annual solar energy as the national average.

Not convinced yet? Another reason solar works in Vancouver and Portland is because we have long, mild summer days which make up for our cloudy winters. The ‘mild’ part is important because solar electric works best not when it’s really hot outside, but when it’s mild. 77° is the scientifically best temperature for solar panels to operate. Guess what the average temperature is here in the Portland/Vancouver area from May-October. Yep…77°. So, our summers are scientifically perfect for solar!

Here’s more proof. Ever heard of Net Metering? Net Metering is what happens when your solar panels are generating more electricity than what your home or business is consuming. Where does that excess electricity go? When your solar panels generate more electricity than you need, that excess electricity has to go somewhere. It goes to your power company. Your power company will ‘bank’ that excess electricity for you until you need it.

If all of this isn’t enough, then this ought to convince you for sure. Solar is a very important part of the agendas for both Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. Washington and Oregon want you to go solar and both states have passed legislation to help you move forward. We have excellent incentives to encourage you generate your own clean, affordable electricity.

Is your home or business a good candidate for solar?

Here’s a simple checklist you can use to find out.

Roof Orientation
Do you have significant roof space that faces South, Southeast, Southwest, West or East?

Shading
Shading will affect the production of your system. Do you have trees that shade the roof? See if you have any active moss growing on the shingles of your roof. Moss = Shade. If the moss appears old and inactive, it may be from a tree(s) that have since been removed.

Roof Condition
Before putting solar on your roof, we’d like to see that the roof has at least 10 years of remaining useful life.

Peak Sunlight Comparison

Compare our peak sunlight hours per day to other cities.

In the States

Elsewhere

*Germany has more solar installations going up per capita than any other country in the world and its capital, Berlin, receives less sunlight than even Astoria, OR.